Chonnam National University Scholarships 2027 for MS & Phd Admission Process
Could your next degree in South Korea come with a tuition waiver and a funded research position? Chonnam National University (CNU) has opened Spring 2027 applications for master’s, PhD and integrated master’s–PhD programmes, with subjects ranging from artificial intelligence and engineering to business, nursing, humanities, arts and marine sciences.
For international applicants, the decision is whether your chosen department, language qualifications and funding arrangement fit together. CNU lists several scholarships covering first-semester tuition, while professor support requires a separate discussion. Round 1 is open now, but submitting the online form alone will not complete your application: your required original documents must reach the university by the deadline.
Plan your CNU application As Per Following Guide
Which CNU Scholarships can Reduce your Tuition?
CNU’s listed admission scholarships can cover full or partial tuition for the first semester; they do not establish a fully funded package for your entire degree. The practical difference is how you are considered and whether professor involvement is required.
| Scholarship | First-semester coverage | What applicants must know? |
|---|---|---|
| Global Top-Tier Scholarship | Full tuition waiver | For newly admitted international PhD students; a separate application form is required, with its schedule to be announced. |
| Global Scholarship | Full tuition waiver | All successful applicants are considered as candidates; no separate scholarship form is required. |
| TOPIK Scholarship | Full tuition waiver | For applicants holding TOPIK Level 6; the score submitted with admission documents is used for evaluation. |
| SRS / BK SRS | Full tuition waiver | A prospective CNU adviser is required for consideration. BK SRS applies to applicants in BK departments; neither requires a separate scholarship form. |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | Approximately 12–17% tuition reduction | Successful applicants are considered without a separate scholarship application. |
Automatic consideration does not guarantee an award. Scholarship decisions appear on the tuition bill, duplicate awards are not permitted, and provisions may change with the budget.
Ask your prospective professor whether support includes tuition, a monthly allowance, the funding period and renewal conditions. Housing, meals, travel and insurance still need a budget unless your confirmed package covers them.
Does your degree and language profile fit your department?
You need the appropriate previous degree, an eligible nationality or overseas-education route, and your department’s specific language qualifications. CNU’s general minimum is only the starting point.
- Master’s or integrated master’s–PhD: Hold, or expect to receive, a recognized bachelor’s degree or equivalent. Changing subject is generally possible, except where departmental restrictions apply.
- PhD: Hold, or expect to receive, a recognized master’s degree or equivalent. Applicants changing fields need CNU’s Form 7 recommendation from the head professor of the receiving department.
- Nationality: The usual route requires the applicant and both parents to be non-Korean. Another route covers qualifying overseas Koreans or non-Korean nationals educated entirely outside Korea. Stateless applicants and people retaining Korean nationality alongside another nationality are excluded.
For general language eligibility, the guide accepts TOPIK Level 3, completion of CNU’s Korean Level 3 course, or an approved English qualification. English options include IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 59, CEFR B2, NEW TEPS 202 or TOEIC 700. For TOEFL tests taken from 21 January 2026, the guide specifies a score of 3.5 under the revised scoring scale. Another general route is Form 1, Confirmation of Academic Capability, completed by a prospective CNU adviser.
Department rules can require more. Gwangju’s Electronics and Computer Engineering department requires Form 1 alongside its specified Korean or English qualification; Business Administration lists IELTS 6.0 among its alternatives. Some departments require higher TOPIK levels, and nursing additionally requires a nursing license. An English admission score also does not guarantee English-only teaching.
Test scores must fall within the guide’s two-year validity period. Citizens or nationals of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States are exempt from the general English proficiency requirement. Check departmental conditions separately; a generic English-medium certificate is not listed as a universal substitute.
Could K-STAR offer a future residency route?
CNU operates a K-STAR selection route for eligible science and technology talent, but admission does not guarantee a residence visa. Its 2026 notice covers specified CNU graduates, doctoral students and researchers, with document review, an interview and a university-president recommendation.
Selected applicants may seek F-2-7S residence status, with possible later permanent-residence or naturalization routes subject to further conditions. Prospective Spring 2027 entrants should treat this as a potential future pathway and check the rules applicable when they qualify. It is separate from the admission and scholarship application.
How do you turn professor contact into a complete application?
Start with department requirements and professor contact, then complete both the online application and physical document submission. A professor’s positive reply does not replace university admission.
- Choose one department and degree. Use CNU’s official graduate admissions page and the revised Spring 2027 English admission guide to check the campus, available degree, teaching language and additional requirements. Applicants may apply to only one department or major.
- Contact a matching professor. Explain your research interests and relevant experience, attaching a concise CV and academic record. Ask about supervision, available funding and any required Form 1. The professor must complete and submit that form directly to the Office of International Affairs.
- Prepare the required documents. These include printed application forms, degree or expected-graduation certificates, transcripts, language evidence, passport and nationality/family evidence, CNU’s personal statement and other prescribed forms, and financial documents. PhD applicants need bachelor’s and master’s records. Check for department-specific research plans, portfolios or performance recordings.
- Resolve financial evidence. The guide requires an accepted route equivalent to KRW 16,000,000: a qualifying bank balance certificate, a professor’s Form 6 financial-support letter, or an external scholarship certificate. If documented support is below that amount, provide a bank certificate for the difference. Form 6 is for admission and cannot replace visa financial documentation.
- Apply online and pay. Register through Uway Apply, select CNU’s correct international graduate intake, upload the required photograph, complete the application and pay KRW 70,000. Print the forms and retain your application number.
- Deliver documents before the closing date. Submit the required originals in person or by post to the Office of International Affairs, G&R Hub Room 214, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro, Buk-gu, postal code 61186, South Korea. Follow the guide’s notarization, translation and academic-verification rules. Emailing scans does not complete this step; allow time for delivery and attend any departmental interview requested.
Which October deadline should you work towards?
Choose a round in which your online application and original documents can both arrive on time. Round 1 results are scheduled for 11 November 2026; Round 2 results for 23 December. Tuition payment is tentatively scheduled for 23–30 December, with admission certificates expected in early January. The separate Global Top-Tier Scholarship application schedule remains to be announced.
Application deadline: The last date to apply for Chonnam National University’s Spring 2027 international graduate admission is 8 October 2026 for Round 1, following its 28 September opening, or 30 October 2026 for Round 2, which opens on 12 October.
Online applications close at 18:00 Korean Standard Time (UTC+9), and required documents must reach CNU within the corresponding submission period. Final academic-verification documents are scheduled to be due on 26 February 2027, subject to applicable exceptions and admission instructions. The semester begins on 2 March 2027.